The present invention relates to communication systems, and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to communication between hearing system devices.
Various approaches have been suggested to communicate between electronic devices carried on a person's body. Of particular interest is the communication between components of a hearing system. Such systems frequently include a signal processor, one or more microphone units, and/or hearing stimulus units spaced apart from one another relative to a user's body. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/805,233 filed on Mar. 13, 2001; Ser. No. 09/568,435 filed on May 10, 2000, and Ser. No. 09/568,430 filed on May 10, 2000; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,222,927 B1 are cited as further sources concerning various hearing systems.
Interconnecting body-carried components for hearing aids and other applications with wires or cables to facilitate electrical or optical communication between the components is generally undesirable. Indeed, wireless Radio Frequency (RF) communications through the atmosphere or an earth ground have been suggested to address this shortcoming. However, communication through the transmission of signals in this manner also has certain drawbacks, such as the potential for interference by stray signals, the difficulty of incorporating needed elements into a size and form factor that can be comfortably worn by the user, and/or the likelihood of a high degree of signal attenuation. Accordingly, there is an ongoing demand for further contributions in this area of technology.